Eres Tu Mi Sol
by Nicole Lo
Summary: Hazel Aden has finally decided to stop avoiding guys. And when she does, she meets a lot of cool guys ... one being her best friend. Is friendship the only thing between them? Can she juggle two guys? Will she compromise her religious beliefs for him?
1. Default Chapter

Eres Tu Mi Sol  
By: Nicole Lopez  
  
~Hazel~  
  
Jimmy Brooks has recently become one of my best friends. I feel like I can tell him anything and I think the feeling's mutual. It wasn't always like that. There was a time when I barely talked to Jimmy. Back then I was convinced that the best way to deal with boys was to stay away from them. But I got sick of missing out, and when Ash dumped Jimmy, for the final time, he confided in me. And for once, I realized that Paige wasn't the world's best friend.  
  
"Hazel? Hello." Paige waved her hand in front of my face even though I had heard every word that she said. I just didn't really like the top she picked out for herself. It made her look . pudgy.  
  
"I'm listening." I sighed, knowing that Paige was going to continue until she was sure that she had my full attention.  
  
"Well, what do you think? Spinner will love this." Paige smiled, waiting for my answer.  
  
"Yeah. It's so cute." I had to stop myself from flinching as I said those words. 'So cute?' How many times had I said that in the past year?  
  
"I know!" Paige squealed. "Now something for you." She started to pick up this really short dress that I knew my parents would never go for.  
  
"It's good . but I was thinking more on the lines of this." I picked up a cute pair of capris with embroidery that had a matching pink top.  
  
"Pant suits went out in the '90s Haze."  
  
"It's not a pant suit. Don't you think it's a little cute?" I urged, trying to sway her mind.  
  
"No. I don't know what's gotten into you lately. You've been picking out all this . tomboyish stuff. It's totally hideous Haze. You should really get this." Paige picked up the dress and handed it to me.  
  
"But." I stopped myself and sighed. "Yeah, you're right. What was I thinking?" I forced a grin, feeling completely insulted. Paige didn't know a thing about fashion, which was the reason we were shopping together. I waited until Paige went to ring up her things before I put the dress back, but it didn't matter much anyway. She had picked out all the things in my basket. I thrust the dress back onto the rack. Yuck. It was so 'Clueless.' Wasn't that 'so '90s' too?  
  
"I can't believe you're bringing me here this early in the morning. What's wrong with you?" Jimmy asked as I rushed to make it in and out of Wet Seal before I saw Paige. She went shopping like everyday.  
  
"Look. I can't really explain this to you because you wouldn't understand." I whispered, making it into the store, ready to return everything.  
  
"Why did you buy all this stuff if you weren't going to wear it?"  
  
"I guess some of Paige's stuff got mixed up with mine." I lied. "Anyway, I shouldn't be spending up all my money on clothes. I don't need this stuff anyway." I added, trying to cover up the fact that I implied that I didn't have enough money to pay for this stuff, which I didn't.  
  
"If money's a problem. I'll buy it for you. Whatever you want." Jimmy offered, pulling out his credit card, which he had gotten for his sixteenth birthday.  
  
"Tempting, but . I really need to get rid of these clothes." I admitted, thrusting them onto the counter. I heard the store bell ring and turned around to see Paige. "This is not happening."  
  
"Hazel! What are you doing here?" Paige asked, confused.  
  
"I should ask you the same thing. Weren't you two here yesterday?" Jimmy butted in.  
  
"Yeah but . this dress was way too . big." Paige responded.  
  
"I know what you mean. My clothes were way tight. My parents saw them and made me take them back." I lied. She nodded, seeming to believe it. Good.  
  
~Liberty~  
  
"Mom, Dad I'm home!" I yelled, happy that orchestra practice was over. My cello had been impossible today and I'd completely bombed my solo. "Mom?" I whispered, realizing that the house was deadly silent. No cries of a spoiled younger brother, no praise to a perfect older sister. Just silence. "Alison, where is everyone?" I asked as our housemaid walked into the living room.  
  
"Didn't they tell you?" I shook my head. "Justice had a dance recital tonight. They took the whole family."  
  
"What time will they be back?" I wondered, my anger rising just a little bit.  
  
"Not until late. They're going out to dinner afterwards. I could give you the address if you want to go." Alison suggested.  
  
"No, that's all right." I left my cello where it was and ran up their stairs. This was all too much. Mom had promised me once Tyler had gotten older, they wouldn't forget as much, but they always did. It was almost as if I wasn't even apart of the family anymore.  
  
~Terri~  
  
"Would you like to try that on?" A salesperson asked as I put down the dress. I knew it was too small. He had to have known it too. "Ma'am?" I turned around to find myself face to face with Mohammed.  
  
"No. That's okay." I whispered, waiting for him to make some immature remark about me being too big to ever wear something like that, even if it came in my size.  
  
"Are you sure?" He walked over to me, being strangely civil.  
  
"If you want to make some stupid fat joke just say it now. What are you waiting for?" I wondered, raising my voice a little.  
  
"I thought we were behind that eh? Besides, this is a real job here. I can't just insult customers and not get penalized." Mohammed admitted.  
  
"SO otherwise." My voice trailed off.  
  
"My world doesn't revolve around you.. You're the one who seems to be obsessed about your weight, not me." He walked away, making sure to be as polite as he could about it. But he was wrong. I wasn't obsessed about my weight. There was nothing wrong with my weight. And just to prove it, I picked up that dress, as large as it came in regular sizes. I was going to be able to wear that dress one day soon . I knew it.  
  
~Hazel~  
  
"Would you hurry up Jimmy?" I asked, plopping down onto the couch. Everyone else had already started going to the party and I didn't even get to start on my make-up yet.  
  
"I'm almost done." He replied with the same words he'd been using nearly and hour ago.  
  
"You know what? I'll just go use the other bathroom." I told him. Immediately he popped out of the bathroom,  
  
"I'm done." He gasped, out a breath. For some reason, he never wanted anyone to go into the other bathroom . better yet the other side of the house. It was just too weird for me.  
  
"Finally." I responded, laughing at how easy it was to get him out of the bathroom. The only question I had was why didn't I think of it earlier?  
  
~Jimmy~  
  
"I can't believe you actually wanted to come to this party." Hazel whispered, disgusted.  
  
"It's a college party and I thought you wanted to come." I responded.  
  
"Yeah, well if all college parties are this lame, count me out."  
  
"You're missing the whole point of the party. People don't come here to dance and hang out, they come here to drink and have sex." I explained.  
  
"Is that why you brought me here, to get me drunk and what-not?" Hazel wondered, as I took a sip of the beer that was in my hand. "I thought you weren't drinking anymore. We talked about it and I thought you were leaving that life behind."  
  
"No, you talked. I listened. There's a big difference." I admitted.  
  
"Fine. Do ahead and drink your life away. See if I care . Just don't expect me to ride home with you since you're drinking." Hazel stocked off into the crowd. When she was passionately against something she got angry when I didn't listen to her or do what she said. Whatever. I'd been good for these past couple of months and I needed a drink. Or two.  
  
(A/N: After part two, things will start to heat up. Who would you like to hear about and what would you like to see happen? Let me know!! ~~NL) 


	2. Chapter Two

Part Two:  
  
~Terri~  
  
"Would you like to try that on?" A salesperson asked as I put down the dress. I knew it was too small. He had to have known it too. "Ma'am?" I turned around to find myself face to face with Mohammed.  
  
"No. That's okay." I whispered, waiting for him to make some immature remark about me being too big to ever wear something like that, even if it came in my size.  
  
"Are you sure?" He walked over to me, being strangely civil.  
  
"If you want to make some stupid fat joke just say it now. What are you waiting for?" I wondered, raising my voice a little.  
  
"I thought we were behind that eh? Besides, this is a real job here. I can't just insult customers and not get penalized." Mohammed admitted.  
  
"SO otherwise." My voice trailed off.  
  
"My world doesn't revolve around you.. You're the one who seems to be obsessed about your weight, not me." He walked away, making sure to be as polite as he could about it. But he was wrong. I wasn't obsessed about my weight. There was nothing wrong with my weight. And just to prove it, I picked up that dress, as large as it came in regular sizes. I was going to be able to wear that dress one day soon . I knew it.  
  
~Hazel~  
  
"Would you hurry up Jimmy?" I asked, plopping down onto the couch. Everyone else had already started going to the party and I didn't even get to start on my make-up yet.  
  
"I'm almost done." He replied with the same words he'd been using nearly and hour ago.  
  
"You know what? I'll just go use the other bathroom." I told him. Immediately he popped out of the bathroom,  
  
"I'm done." He gasped, out a breath. For some reason, he never wanted anyone to go into the other bathroom . better yet the other side of the house. It was just too weird for me.  
  
"Finally." I responded, laughing at how easy it was to get him out of the bathroom. The only question I had was why didn't I think of it earlier?  
  
~Jimmy~  
  
"I can't believe you actually wanted to come to this party." Hazel whispered, disgusted.  
  
"It's a college party and I thought you wanted to come." I responded.  
  
"Yeah, well if all college parties are this lame, count me out."  
  
"You're missing the whole point of the party. People don't come here to dance and hang out, they come here to drink and have sex." I explained.  
  
"Is that why you brought me here, to get me drunk and what-not?" Hazel wondered, as I took a sip of the beer that was in my hand. "I thought you weren't drinking anymore. We talked about it and I thought you were leaving that life behind."  
  
"No, you talked. I listened. There's a big difference." I admitted.  
"Fine. Do ahead and drink your life away. See if I care . Just don't expect me to ride home with you since you're drinking." Hazel stocked off into the crowd. When she was passionately against something she got angry when I didn't listen to her or do what she said. Whatever. I'd been good for these past couple of months and I needed a drink. Or two.  
  
~Mohammed~  
  
"Mind if I join you?" I asked a short Somalian girl who was sitting all alone.  
  
"Not at all." She sighed seeming bored.  
  
"This party blows!" I exclaimed, waiting for a reaction.  
  
"I know what you mean. Jimmy was so convinced that this was the place to be and he dragged me along. Great huh?" She answered.  
  
"Jimmy? You know him?" I wondered.  
  
"Yeah . Wait, do I know you from somewhere?" She wondered. "Totally not a line."  
  
"If you go to Degrassi you've probably heard of me." I offered, but she didn't seem to know who I was. "Mohammed."  
  
"Only one name?"  
  
"That's all you need to know."  
  
"On that note, I'm Hazel." We shook hands as she smiled warmly. "So, what's your story for coming here?"  
  
"I was bored. Thought this would be the place to be. Guess I was wrong." I explained, scrunching up my nose as the smell of alcohol got stronger.  
  
"There's not much to do around here." Hazel noticed.  
  
"I know what you mean. Dullsville."  
  
"Let's liven the place up. They've got music. Let's dance." She stood up immediately, waiting for me to join her.  
  
"Okay, but I must warn you, I have two left feet." I joked.  
  
"Anyone can learn how to dance." Hazel pulled me onto the dance floor as Outkast's The Way You Move started to play.  
  
~Jimmy~  
  
"Isn't that your girl out there?" Bryan asked me. I turned around to see who he was talking about.  
  
"Who Hazel?" He nodded. "Naw man, it's not even like that. Hazel and I are cool. I don't think of her like that." I lied, catching another quick glance at her and Mohammed before I turned away. I saw them together earlier . how he made her laugh, how he continued to make her laugh. It really bothered me. "You know what dude? I'll be right back." I said, marching over to Hazel and Mohammed, who had moved a little closer to Hazel although they had a full twelve inches between them. "May I cut in?" I asked as Mohammed moved aside.  
  
"Sure dude. She dragged me out here. You know dancing isn't my thing." He admitted.  
  
"I noticed."  
  
"Oh, hey Jimmy." Hazel greeted me as she felt me move closer to her from the back. She suddenly turned around. "What are you doing?"  
  
"I should be asking you that. Meeting strange guys at college parties?" She took my hands in hers, making sure that we kept our distance.  
  
"Mohammed's not strange. He's nice and he knows a lot about me." Hazel declared.  
  
"What does he know about you and how? You just met."  
  
"Alcohol really makes you controlling. I really think you need to chill out Jimmy." Hazel said as I noticed Manny walk by. She was getting hotter and hotter by the second.  
  
"Hey, hate to interrupt, but I'm about to leave if you wanna ride home." Mohammed whispered to Hazel, as if I couldn't hear.  
  
"Umm . I don't think I should leave Jimmy here." Hazel answered back.  
  
"Why? Do you think I'm some sort of child? Do you think I can't handle myself? Well, I can." I backed up, not noticing how stupid I probably sounded.  
  
"Sure. You can handle yourself. Why don' you just go ahead and drive home while you're at it?" She retorted sarcastically.  
  
"Well, I'm going." Mohammed parted with Hazel, who gave him a quick smile.  
  
"I'm only staying here because I don't want you to do something stupid. You're not the brightest person when you're drunk."  
  
"Don't do me any favors." I walked away from Hazel, not really caring what happened next, or even how I was going to get home. I just needed some space.  
  
~Liberty~  
"Mom!" I exclaimed, trying not to sound too desperate. I was so happy to have someone home with me. I'd spent my entire Friday night waiting for someone to come back and let me know that they cared.  
  
"Shh! You'll wake up Tyler." Marina, my mom, snapped.  
  
"Tyler's thirteen mom. That's old enough for him to start taking care of himself."  
  
"And what would you know about taking care of a child? You've given birth to how many children?" I shrunk back into a corner, once again feeling useless. Nothing I said was ever good enough for her. "Why don't you go ahead and make Tyler some hot chocolate? He's starting to wake." Marina demanded, not saying another word, explaining her whereabouts, nothing.  
  
~Manuela~  
  
"Jimmy." Sara whispered, taking his arm and pulling him into a dark corner. She tightly embraced him, almost ready to take it off and do the "wild thing" like everyone else was. She took my hand in his, playing with it.  
  
"Manny, what are you doing?" He asked loudly, almost angrily.  
  
"Nothing. I'm really sorry." I whispered, surprised that he could make me out in the shadows. So, I did the obvious. I tried to change the subject. "Don't you need to be getting back to Hazel?" I wondered.  
  
"No. She's probably gone."  
  
"So how are you getting home?" I questioned him, stalling. There was something that I needed to tell him, but I was afraid to. And he was going to find out sooner or later.  
  
"Can't you handle this later? Right now." Sara passionately kissed Jimmy who didn't seem to be feeling anything.  
  
"What do you think?" Jimmy asked, pulling out his keys and ignoring Sara.  
  
"But you're drunk. Don't be stupid." I argued, not wanting to lose a friend because he got behind the wheel drunk.  
  
"Look, I'm outta here. Call me when c-block goes away." Sara stocked off as if anyone cared, but no one did.  
  
"I'm not being stupid. Chill out Manny. I only drank a couple of beers. It's just a little buzz. I can even walk a straight line." He joked, demonstrating. I grabbed his arm.  
  
"Cut it out Jimmy. Let's go home right now, okay?" I took his hand. "Trust me."  
  
"Why don't you trust me? I can handle it." Jimmy took another beer and started chugging. I rolled my eyes. This was going to be a long night. 


	3. Chapter Three

Hazel  
"I can't believe Jimmy was acting like that. I'm so sorry about that." I apologized to Mohammed, who had offered to drive me home.  
"Jimmy's cool. He was just a little too buzzed." Mohammed answered, seeming to understand.  
"I know, but he's never acted like that before. I've seen Jimmy at his worst and he's never been so ... controlling." I admitted. "Take a right here."  
"He's probably going through a lot."  
"I can't believe it's almost one." I whispered to myself. My parents would ground me until next year if they knew about this part. Luckily, I was supposed to be staying over at Manny's. I didn't think she was home yet, but her parents didn't care either way.  
"Is that bad? I could put the pedal to the metal." Mohammed joked.  
"No, I'm staying at Manny's." I responded, thinking about how random his last statement was. But, in a way, that's the way he was. Random.  
  
Manuela  
"Come on Jimmy. You've gotta help me out a little bit." I tried to drag him to drag him to his 2003 Jaguar.  
"Manny. Ch..." He mumbled, indistinctly, until he wasn't talking at all.  
"Great. Thanks for helping." I rolled my eyes trying to get him into the car.  
"Need some help?" I didn't even have to turn around to figure out who it was. It was Craig.  
"What are you doing here?" I sighed, knowing that it would take a miracle for me to lift him into the Jaguar. Jimmy was at least fifty pounds heavier than I was.  
"Well, you know ... I'm here to have fun." He admitted.  
"Okay then. Shoo!" I yelled, lightly tapping Jimmy on the face, hoping to wake him up. "Come on Jimmy!"  
"Don't be afraid to ask for help."  
"I'm not afraid to ask for help, I'm just doing what we agreed to do. I'm staying away, okay?" Craig came closer as my heart started pounding faster and faster. He took one side of Jimmy's body, thrusting him into the car.  
"What the hell happened?" he groaned, grouchily.  
"Nothing. We're leaving." I declared, looking down. I knew that Craig was trying to use this as his chance to get closer to me, and I couldn't let this happen. I needed to let go, but I couldn't seem to do that either.  
  
Liberty  
I sat at home, doing nothing, yet everything at the same time. My mother was somehow convinced that I was the maid and Alison was her daughter. And why not? She knew more about what was going on with this family than I did.  
"I'm bored." I mumbled, flipping through the three hundred channels we had, but nothing was on. As usual.  
"Why don't you call someone?" Alison suggested, running a vacuum over the living room floor even though it was spotless. As usual.  
"There's no one to call." I sighed. I had already tried calling Manny twice and Emma was out of town again. "This is hopeless." I mumbled, suddenly remembering JT. He wasn't doing anything ... well, probably not. Maybe I could call him. Maybe I would.  
  
Manuela "Come on Jimmy." I rushed to the other side of the car, trying to help keep him standing. "I'm coming." He started to stand up, and almost immediately fell down, but I caught him. "You know you're really messed up. What possessed you to take all that shit?" I asked, getting moody. Why had I even bothered? Why did I care? Jimmy wasn't my problem. "I just wanted to have a good time." Jimmy and I slowly made it to the house. I took his key and unlocked the door. "I think I can handle it from here." Jimmy let go of me and started to walk up the stairs. He slipped half-way up and I decided that my fifteen second break was officially over.  
  
"Come on hon. I'll help you." I rushed up the stairs, taking Jimmy into his room and pulling out some clean pajamas for him to put on. "You might want to go brush your teeth, just in case your parents come home." I offered. "They won't. They never do." He mumbled as he started to undress right in front of me. "Aren't you gonna wait until I leave?"  
  
Jimmy shrugged. "It's not like you haven't seen it before." Although I was scared to leave him alone, I did not want a random peek show. I waited outside his door for a minute or so and walked in to see him lying on his bed. "All of this, and I can't believe that I'm not going to be able to get home." "You can stay here." He responded, although I thought he was sleeping. "What?" "Stay." "I can't. Hazel and I are having a sleep-over ..." My voice trailed off. "You can't get home without my car ... you can sleep on the couch or the extra bed--I don't care. You've been good to me. Make yourself at home." "Okay." I answered slowly. "And don't say anything to Hazel about this." I nodded in agreement. She would get the wrong idea. 


	4. Chapter Four

Part Four: Te Regalo Mi Cintura

(I give you the gift of my waist)

Hazel

I waited at Manny's house for nearly an hour, but she still wasn't back. There was no sign of her. I sighed, helping myself to a slice of pizza that I had ordered. The box was only half full now and I was officially not having any fun. As if reading my mind, the phone rang.

"Hello?" I answered, knowing that it was Manny. It _had _to be her.

"Hey Haze." It was Manny.

"Where are you girl? Did the party get that crazy?" I wondered knowing that I should've stayed to look after Manny. She was never really good at resisting temptation and trouble followed her wherever she went.

"Sort of." Manny paused. "I don't think I'm coming home tonight." She told me.

"Why? Did you meet some guy at the party again, or is it Craig?" I wondered.

"Haze, Craig is so out of the picture that it's not even funny. I can't believe he was even that the party tonight." Manny paused. "And he tried to talk to me. Can you believe it?" She sighed. "But it's not even about that. One of my friends got trashed and I have to stay here and help them out."

"Well … I can come over there and help you." I offered, desperately wanting some more plans rather than spending the night in Manny's house. Alone.

"Not, that's okay. I'm really sorry though." Manny apologized.

"What time are your parents coming back?"

"I don't know … three, four … tomorrow." Manny forced herself to laugh. "You would think they were the teenagers and not me."

"So I have the house all to myself then?" I asked, trying to prevent myself from sighing.

"Yep. Don't have any wild parties or anything." We both laughed in unison. "As if my parents would notice anyway." Manny mumbled.

* * *

Manny

"Hello?" I answered half-asleep. Two seconds later, my battery went out. Stupid phone. I had only talked to Hazel for like two minutes last night. If I talked to someone else, I didn't remember.

I woke up groggily. Last night was … wait, where was I? Sitting up slowly, I looked around, barely able to focus since my contacts were doing some weird thing. In plain sight there was Jimmy, beside me, and I was … in his bed. A feeling of dread come over me. No way.

"Jimmy?" I pushed him roughly, but he barely even stirred. "Tell me what--" I froze, realizing that he wasn't wearing any clothes, and neither was I. "No shit…" I cursed under my breath, gathering my clothes and finding the nearest shower. Maybe I would remember what _really _happened. No way I slept with him last night.

While in the shower, I closed my eyes and starting remembering it. It wasn't a dream. I saw myself back in his room. Craig called me. He wanted to see me again and I didn't know what to do. Jimmy stumbled down the stairs. We opened a bottle of his parents' expensive wine.

… Somehow I ended up in his room and he made the first move. "Why!" I yelled hearing a knock on the door.

"Hey, who is this?"

"Manny." I responded. By the sound of things, he didn't know what happened either.

"What are you doing here? What happened?"

"You were drinking last night."

"My hang-over is already telling me that." He replied as I got out of the shower.

"You were gonna drive like an idiot, but I found you and helped. I got stranded here so--" I cut my sentence short. Would it be wrong to only tell him part of the truth? Hazel couldn't know I was here because I'd look bad and Jimmy … I was gonna have to forget the physical connection we had last night. That would be easier if I had someone else to focus on—like Craig. I put on a robe and tossed my hair into a high ponytail.

"Thanks … I think." Jimmy answered as I opened the door. We both paused, looking into each other's eyes briefly. "Did anything else happen?"

"You wish." I pushed him away playfully. Now, I just had to make sure all the evidence was hidden.

"It's not like that Manny. Thank you for helping me out."

"No sweat." I shrugged, still unable to look at him again. If I did history might repeat itself again.

* * *

Liberty

"Danny … I didn't know you'd be here." I stated in utter shock. My brother from my mom's second marriage was here.

"That's because abandonment is your style, just like dad." Danny shot back as I rolled my eyes.

"Would you get over it? You had a chance to live with mom or dad. You chose mom."

"But did any of you take the time to visit me, talk to me, do anything for me?"

"History is in the past. Don't ruin the present with our parents' mistakes. I'm here now." I explained with a sigh.

"But not for me. JT's in the backyard." He sneered as I shrugged. I had to do what was best for me and I knew dad would never let me be a screw-up like Danny.

"You there?" I asked unsurely.

"Yeah, did you bring that homework thing?"

"It's right here." I handed him the paper I'd typed up for him, sitting down next to him as JT gave me a smile.

"Good girl. Hey, Danny and I are about to go play some video games at the arcade. If my grandma comes in, cover for me okay?"

"Cover for you? Are you--" Shutting me up with a quick peck on the lips, JT hopped up and in seconds, the front door was slamming.

That kiss … "mmm." I smiled to myself. Today was a bust, but for more kisses like that one, it was worth it.

* * *

Terri

"You are totally going on this diet with me." I told Paige who continued applying on pearly pink lipgloss.

"Are you even listening?"

"Yeah. I'm helping you out. Got it." Paige nodded with a huge grin. "Do you think Spinner and I should get back together?"

"Paige…" I began with a sigh. Not this again. Technically, if Paige hadn't gotten me drunk at the dance, Spinner would've been mine. But instead, I ended up alone just like all other fat girls did.

"I mean, I know he's stupid and a jerk, but it beats being alone."

"Do what you want." I huffed, ordering the most fattening thing on the menu—Alfredo pasta and cheese fries.

"Geez. Chill out hon … are you seriously eating all that? What about our diet?" Paige wondered as I shrugged and kept eating. It was soo good. I was beginning to forget why I was even mad at all.

(A/N: You request an update, so I did one. I just keep finding really good songs for 'Fool of Me' but I never have enough time to finish them. So read, review! –NL)


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